Simultaneously resettable spike and locking pin



y 4, 1954 L. F. HEBENSTREIT 2,677,293

SIMULTANEOUSLY RESETTABLE SPIKE AND LOCKING PIN Filed Nov 19, 1951 FIQs.

INVENTOR. Louis 3? HEBENSIREIT 56 @MZ H W Patented May 4, 1954 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIMULTANEOUSLY RESETTABLE SPIKE AND LOCKING PIN 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to railroad spikes and more particularly to a self-lockin spike which may be reset in a wooden tie.

The present invention is an improvement over prior spike structures and particularly over that disclosed in the patent to Roberts et al., No. 1,158,293 dated October 26, 1915.

It has been well established that the passage of trains along a track effects a movement or pumping action of the tie plate upon the track tie causing a progressive loosening of the spikes and resulting in an abrasive or cutting action on the wooden tie which eventually destroys it. It is, therefore, highly desirable that this tie plate movement be held to a minimum by the spikes.

The grain of a tie runs longitudinally thereof and it has been found that after a short period of service, a tie will develop cracks running parallel with the grain of the wood. Conventional spikes and others such as that of Roberts will rapidly work their way out of the ties even when not positioned immediately where the cracks in the grain appear and thus permit the destructive pumping action of the tie plate on the tie.

Various spike structures are known in the art and in general, these are usually characterized by a number of inherent disadvantages. Among these disadvantages are an impracticality of structure rendering the spike difficult to manufacture, a cumbersomeness and difficulty in application to the tie making them impractical from an economic standpoint, and a failure by the designer to appreciate the problem involved resulting in substantially inoperative structures or devices of short life.

Accordingly, the chief object of the present invention is to provide an improved railroad spike which will obviate the above-mentioned disadvantages usually characterizing prior art structures.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved railroad spike having locking means which will reduce tie plate pumping action to a minimum so as to increase the life of the wooden tie.

A further important object is to provide an improved railroad spike and locking means which may be reset in one simple operation without dissassembly of the spike or damage thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved railroad spike which is susceptible of ready and economical manufacture, easy to set in a tie, and will be rugged and of long life in use.

Other objects and advantages of the inven- 2 tion will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings, I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention in its operative position clamping the flange of a rail and the tie plate to a tie;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the spike comprising the present invention, part being shown in section;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the spike locking pin before its insertion within the spike to lock it in a tie; and

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, numeral I0 designates the locking spike as a whole which comprises a spike l2 and a locking pin M.

The spike I2 is of generally conventional configuration and includes a point [6 and a forwardly flanged head 18. The spike I2 is adapted to be driven into a wooden tie T through an aperture 20 formed in a tie plate P until the spike head [8 tightly engages the flange 22 of a rail R in the customary manner.

The spike I2 is provided with a centrally located axially extending bore 24 which extends from the upper surface of the head [8 downwardly to a point spaced from but generally adjacent the point 16 and then arcuately to open on a side face of the spike l2 as at 26. An important feature of the invention resides in the relative dimensions of the bore 24 and the side aperture 26, the latter being substantially greater for a purpose to be set forth.

The upper end of the bore 24 is countersunk as at 28 so as to complement and snugly receive the lower tapered surface of a sealing head 30 formed on the locking pin I 4 which is adapted to be received in the bore 24. The locking pin includes a driving head 3 1 closely spaced from the sealing head and having substantially flat upper and lower surfaces, the latter constituting annular pry surfaces for a pin-removing tool. The lower end of the pin I4 is provided with a point 36.

In use, the spike I2 is driven into the tie as described and the locking pin 84 is then set in the bore 24 and also driven into the tie. As the pin emerges from the side of the spike l2, it is following a curved path so as to form a secure locking hook (Figure 2) for the spike H2 in the tie T. It is to be noted that the locking pin extends through the tie transversely of the grain 3 of the wood and hence the locking action is not effected by cracks in the wood.

The diameter of the aperture 26 is substantially three times that of the locking pin M in order that the spike II] can be tightened or reset in the tie Without shearing ofi the locking pin if loosened by the continual pumping action stresses. This tightening is accomplished by merely tapping down the head H! of the spike l2 tightly to the flange 22 of the rail R, and then striking the driving head 34 of the locking pin M to drive it further along its original curved path into the heart of the tie. Preferably, however, the spike !2 and the pin M are quickly and easily reset simultaneously by merely striking the driving head 34 of the ,pin, there being no danger of shearing off the pin due to the size of the aperture 26.

During the replacement of the rail R, tie plate P, or tie T for maintenance, etc. of the track, the locking pin l4 may be withdrawn from the spike l2 and the latter removed from the tie. The pin I 4 will straighten out during its removal, and both the spike l2 and the pin M may be reused.

The driving head 34 projects but slightly above the spike head l8 and hence is scarcely likely to sufier any more damage from derailed wheels or dragging equipment than a reular track spike. The center pin is protected from corrosion, brine drippings, etc. by the seal efiected by the sealing head 30 with the countersunk bore portion 28.

It will now be readily apparent that the present invention comprises an improved locking spike which will not only effectively eliminate a major portion of the wear on the tie caused by pumping action of the tie plate by tightly clamping the rail, tie plate and tie together across the grain of the tie for extended periods of time, but which may readily be reset in a single, easy operation without damage to the spike as a whole and with the locking pin securely anchored in its original position.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and. described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A reusable railroad spike and locking pin adapted to be simultaneously reset upon loosening comprising a body, a driving head formed on said body and including a forwardly extending rail-engaging flange, an axial bore formed in said body through said head and terminating in an arcuate portion opening onto a side of said body, and a locking pin adapted to be driven through said bore and extend arcuately from said body at right angles to said flange, the side opening of said body being substantially three times the diameter of said pin to prevent shearing thereof when said body and said pin are simultaneously driven.

2. A device, as recited in claim 1, wherein the bore in said head includes a countersunk portion, and a tapered sealing head is formed on said locking pin and cooperates with said countersunk portion to seal the interior of said bore.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 563,050 Milner June 30, 1896 1,158,293 Roberts et al. Oct. 26, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,475 Austria Mar. 10, 1904 

